Changeable sign



July 26, 1932. E. v'oN DER LiPPE-LlPsKl 1,869,065

CHANGEABLE SIGN Filed March 22. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EZQL'Q von a@Lip/ge Lziw@ July 26, 1932- E. voN DER LIPPE-LlPsKl 1,869,056

CHANGE-ABLE SIGN Filed March 22,

1930 2 Sheets-Sheet gmc/nto abbi/m4.

Patented July 216, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ICE CHANGEABLE SIGNAppiication mea March 22, 1930. seriai- 110.438,073.

My invention is an improvement in signboards, and relates moreespecially to the type of changeable sign exhibitors in which the signs,pictures, or other indicia are changed by means lof rotatable bars orunits having media faces which are successively brought to coplanarposition 'at the front of the sign or picture, such as illustrated and:described in my application for patent filed October -1'0 24, 1929,Serial No. 402,282.

The primary objectof this invention is to provide an arrangement of thesignboard whereby the changeable signs may be protected from severeweather to prevent ice or sleet collecting on the bars and interferingwith the operation thereof. Y

. With this principal object in view I contemplate an arrangement forshifting the frame carrying the changeable sign exhibitor 2'0 from thefront of the signboard and protecting it by a door orshield movable intoposition in front of the sign, the shifting of the sign and protectortherefor being operated automatically by suitable mechanism controlledby a clock.

My invention further contemplates protecting a sign of this characteragainst the formation of sleet or ice on the rotatable bars by means ofthe lights employed in lighting the sign, so that in moderately coldweather ice and sleet will be prevented from Vcollecting on the bars andin severely cold weather the protecting doors may be closedautomatically during certain periodsof the night and early hours of themorning. p v

My invention therefore consists in providing a signboard havingchangeable sign eX- hibitors mounted in movable frames with movabledoors adapted to be operated auto- 10 matically to protect the sign fromice and sleet during certain periods, and in the construction of thesignboard whereby the signs are enclosed in a casing supplied withamoderate heat to insure the operation of the rotatable bars in coldweather; all as hereinafter fully described and more specifically setforth in the appended claims.

' In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signboardconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 i's a transverse sectional view showing the arrangement of thedoors with respect to the frames carrying the changeable signs.

`Fig."3 is an enlarged view illustrating the tracks from which the doorsare hung.

Fig. l is a detail sectional view showing the l) means for supportingand operating the main doors.

Fig' is a similar view of the hangers supporting the sectional doors.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the rack barsV for operating the sectionaldoors, and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the casing in the rearof the front thereof, the doors being closed.

In carrying out my invention the signs and means for protecting the sameare enclosed in a casing or housing preferably rectangular in shape andcomprising a back or rear Wall 1() with end walls 11 11 and spaced apartpartitions 12 12 connected to a front 13, the latter having a centralopening 14 through which the main sign is exhibited and smaller openings15 15 at opposite sides for exhibiting additional signs.

The several signs are of the type having rotatable bars 16 supported inframes which also carry the mechanism for turning said bars, the frame17 for the main sign being located in a compartment 17a between thepartitions 12 and movable rearwardly therein for which purpose saidframe is supported on tracks 1'8 on the floor of the housing, while theframes 20 20 carrying the auxiliary signs are stationary in thecompartments 21 21 at opposite sides of the central compartment.

For protecting the main sign which is slidable in the centralcompartment from exposed position at the front of the casing tohoused-position at'the rear of said compartment two sliding doors 22 22are provided, said doors being normally located in the compartments 21and slidable into the compartment 17a in front of the main movable signVwhen the latter is shifted-to the porting rollers 26 journaled inbrackets 27 attached to the upper end of the doors, said brackets beingformed With a rack 28 With Which a pinion 29 engages for opening andclosing the doors, said pinion being operated by shaft 42 in anysuitable manner, as by mechanism in housing 43 which may be controlledby a clock for operating the doors to open and close them atpredetermined intervals. As Will be noted by Fig. 2 the doors meet atthe center of the compartment 17 in front of the sign when the latter ismoved to housed position, so that said doors Will be located in front ofthe sign to protect the same, this position of the sign and doors beingindicated in dotted lines. This arrangement provides for protecting themain changeable sign against the formation of sleet or ice on therotatable bars, suitable mechanism being provided for first shifting thesign to the rear of the compartment in the housing and then operatingthe pinions located at the partitions 12 to slide said doors so thatthey Will meet at the centerof the compartment and close the same infront of the main sign.

In Winter Weather the signs in the side compartments are heated by thelights 19 employed for lighting up said signs, the lights being locatedin the rear thereof on a rear partition 30, which may be extendedforwardly at the end thereof opposite the partition 12 to provide aseparate compartment for the sign. For protecting the signs againstseverly cold Weather sectional doors 31 are provided at opposite sidesof the opening 15, the sections of said doors being each hung from abracket 32 at the center thereof having a roller 33 traveling in ahanger 34 attached to the lovver end of a beam 35a, said hangers beingcurved as shown in Fig. 3 so that the sectional doors when opened Willbe located at opposite sides of the compartment 21. These doors areoperated by rack bars 35 and 36 pivotally connected to the sections ofthe doors Which meet at substantially the centerof the aforesaid opening15, one of said rack bars being pivoted directly to the upper end of thedoor While the other is pivotedto a bracket 37 projecting from the innerside of the other door so that the pivoted ends of said rack bars Willbe alongside each other. The rack bars are engagedcby pinions 38 and 39,Which turn in opposite directions and are operated by suitable mechanismin the housing 44 from Which extend shafts 40 and 41 to which theaforesaid pinions are attached, said rack bars exerting a pull on thesectional doors toward each other in closing the same and a push inopposite direction for opening the doors. As stated With reference tothe slidable doors for protecting the main sign the pinions for openingand Yclosing the sectional doors are also operated by suitable mechanismWhich may be controlled by a clock for closing these doors to protectthe auxiliary signs dui-ing certain periods of the day or night.

I claim l. In a changeable sign exhibitor the combination with a housinghaving a central open-front compartment in which a sign is located andmovable to the front and rear of said compartment, and compartments atopposite sides. of said central compartment, sliding doors for closingoff said central compartment in front of the sign When it is moved tothe rear of the compartment, said doors being normally housed in thecompartments at the sides of the center compartment.

2. In a changeable sign exhibitor the combination With a housing havinga central open-front compartment in which a sign is located and movableto the front and rear of said compartment, and compartments at oppositesides of said central compartment, sliding doors for closing off thecentral compartment in front of the sign when it is moved to the rear ofthe compartment, tracks and rollers supporting said doors for slidingmovement, rack bars on the doors, and pinions engaging said rack barsfor operating the doors into and out of the center compartment.

3. In a changeable sign exhibitor the combination with a housing havinga central open-front compartment in which a sign is located and movableto the front and rear of said compartment, and compartments at oppositesides of said central compartment, sliding doors for closing off thecentral compartment in front of the sign when it is moved to the rear ofthe compartment, tracks and rollers supporting said doors for slidingmovement, rack bars on the doors, and pinions engaging said rack barsfor operating the doors into and out of the center compartment; togetherWith sectional doors for closing the side compartments, and means foroperating the last mentioned doors.

' 4. In a changeable sign exhibitor the combination With a housinghaving a central open-front compartment in Which a sign is located andmovable to the front and rear of said compartment, and compartments atopposite sides of said central compartment, sliding doors for closing` othe central compartment in front of the sign when it is moved to therear of the compartment, tracks and rollers supporting said doors forsliding movement, rack bars on the doors, and pinions engaging said rackbars for operating the doors into and out of the center compartmenttogether With sectional sliding doors for closing the side compartments,curved tracks at opposite sides of said compartments for guiding thesliding doors in their movement to housed position, and means foroperating said doors.

5. In a changeable sign exhibitor the combination with a housing havinga central open-front compartment in which a sign is located andopen-front side compartments, a sign movable to the front and rear ofthe center compartment, and sliding doors movable from the sidecompartments into position in front of the sign in the center compartment When it is moved to the rear of said compartment together Withsliding doors for closing the side compartments, curved tracks atopposite sides of said side compartments.

connecting With straight tracks at the front of the compartment, rac-kbars extending from the meeting ends of the sliding doors, and pinionsengaging said rack bars for operating the doors.

ELAINE VON DER LIPPE-LIPSKI.

